Charlie's Story
by CatieW
Summary: Basically, this tells the story of Charlie's life, from his high school graduation. I like to think its both amusing and romantic - but I could be totally mistaken about that one. I own nothing.
1. Graduation

_A/N: Well, I hope y'all enjoy it :D I'd appreciate it if you reviewed. _

Charlie's Story.

I had never enjoyed being the centre of attention. As one of the few students at a small town high school, it had been inevitable that everyone knew my name, but I had always declined invitations to parties and trips to La Push. For the most part, I liked to keep myself to myself.

But, however much I disliked the limelight, when it came to graduation, I didn't have much of a choice. It wasn't a high point of my high school career, but, thankfully, the genetic clumsiness I had inherited managed to stay hidden as I shuffled up to the principal, collected my diploma and shuffled down off the podium.

With the horror of the ceremony itself over, I went to meet my parents, who greeted me with proud smiles and expressions of delight - as well as the dreaded words: "Oh, how fast our little boy has grown up! It seems like only yesterday you were only a baby/wetting the bed/starting school (insert mortifying comment here)".

What is it about graduation ceremonies that makes parents ten times more embarrassing? It is, after all a truth universally acknowledged that any son or daughter, on graduating high school, must wish to disappear into the ground and hide - is it not?

It only took me a few moments to notice that it was not only my parents who had turned up to see my graduation, but the entire Swan clan. Luckily, I was saved from hours (or perhaps, more accurately, minutes) of meaningless small talk and congratulations by an overexcited figure clad in a luminous yellow graduation gown who bounded up behind me, and invited me to 'guess who'.

"Renee," I said, turning round to face her, and adopting a tone of slight exasperation, "I know it's you. Who else would it be?"

Her suddenly despondent expression filled me with guilt, and I immediately backtracked, making profuse apologies, and I attempted to charm her with a winning smile.

It worked, and within seconds she was blabbering away about something unimportant. My girlfriend, Renee. The most delightfully scatterbrained girl I knew. She was unable to stay fixed on one subject or emotion for any length of time. At times this was exasperating, however, for the most part, I found it endearing. Renee has a unique way of looking at the world that makes every moment I spend with her a new experience.

The relief she offered from fawning relatives was short-lived however, as her own parents claimed her, and I was forced to return to the Swans, to face repeated coos of delight at my graduation. I also discovered, to my horror, that my entire family were now heading to The Lodge, in theory to celebrate my graduation, but more likely in order to speak loudly about the wonderful achievements of third cousins six times removed, and otherwise bragging about the superiority of their own bloodlines.

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	2. Dinner with the Swans

_A/N: Hey everyone, I haven't had any reviews or anything yet, but I'd be chuffed if you would, seriously. This is slightly lemony, just to warn you all. _

Dinner with the Swans was as appalling as I thought it would be. Thankfully, it seemed like every student who had just graduated from Forks High was in attendance at the Lodge, so I had only to turn around in order to find someone else going through exactly the same ordeal. Knowing I'm not alone is incredibly relieving (although I doubt anyone else is facing mocking comments about their growing mustache).

Despite this, numerous thoughts of the long summer ahead of me, spent relaxing with Renee, before I took up a position in the local sheriff's office were necessary to get through the excessively long dinner (four courses, followed by coffee and mints were apparently essential), before I had a further horror to endure.

Graduation parties might be traditional, but only incessant pleading on Renee's part could induce me to attend one. Apparently we were all to head to Owen Connolly's house in order to celebrate. I wasn't looking forward to it, especially as parties never had, and I doubted ever would be, my thing. However, Renee wanted to go, and she wanted me to go with her. I knew I'd have to just grin and bear it.

I'd arranged to meet Renee at 8 outside her place and we'd go to the party from there. She was late, of course. Dear, sweet Renee. She's never been early for anything in her life as far as I can remember.

She came out of her house looking flustered, but stunning all the same, fifteen minutes later, and got into my rusty Citroen 2CV. She greeted me with a long, lingering kiss, leaning over the gearstick towards me, in order to twine her hands into my brown curls. I reciprocated eagerly, intensifying our kiss and sliding my hands under her shirt, up to her bra. I heard her murmur something that sounded like 'naughty', but she made no attempt to stop me, so as she began to kiss my neck, I carefully slid my hands under her bra to cup her breasts. Meanwhile she, giving a soft moan of pleasure, slid her own hands up the back of my shirt, digging her fingernails in in an attempt to bring me closer.

With a twinge of regret, I extricated myself from Renee, telling her that we should get going, or we'd miss the party and she reluctantly settled back into her seat, before strapping her seatbelt on.


	3. A Night to Remember

_A/N: Here's the next update. Hope y'all enjoy it, I know people are reading me and not reviewing, but I'd love it if a couple of you could, because reviews=love_

We walked into Owen's house, arms wrapped around each other, glancing at the various groups and couples strewn around the house, entwined in various positions - some of them rather less dignified than others.

If the group of boys in the corner were any indication, someone had persuaded an elder sibling to get hold of a keg for the party. In fact, looking at the drinks table, most of the guests had found some way of getting hold of alcohol, because as well as the lemonade and coke sent with parental blessings, there were cans of beer and cider (and of course the bottles of whiskey and wine stolen from various parents' drinks cabinets).

Renee and I walked past, in search of her friends, who, as soon as she saw them, taking over a corner of the lounge, she ran at with a squeal. Attempting to hide an amused smile, I went to join her.

All credit to them, they made an effort to make me feel welcome, but as soon as we started discussing plans for the next year (the same plans I had told them about every time no other subject of conversation presented itself), I decided that I couldn't empathise enough with others to get a decent conversation started with these people who were so different to myself.

As I mentioned, I'm really not a "party person". Or, for that matter, a "people person". Sure, I can get along okay with people, but I'm not the guy who is out every Friday night. I'm not even the guy who does chess club. It all involves too many others. I'm ok how I am. I've got Renee and Billy down in La Push. Thats enough for me.

After several hours, I managed to drag Renee away from how crowd of friends.

"Renee," I began, but she stopped me by pressing her lips to mine in a passionate kiss, her tongue caressing my lips softly.

I tried again, pulling a neatly wrapped box out of my pocket.

"Happy Graduation"

She took the box with a smile, and an apologetic,

"Thankyou so much Charlie. I..I forgot. I should have got you something".

I shook my head. I knew she'd forget. She was Renee.

"Open it," I said, wanting to see her reaction.

Gently, she tugged at the ribbon and slid her finger under the paper, revealing a slim black box, which she opened tentatively, gasping when she saw the contents.

A silver necklace shone in the moonlight. I had picked it out a week before, knowing it would suit her elegant neck. I assume she liked it, as she then proceeded to leap on me and kiss me to within an inch of my life.

We spent the rest of the evening closeted in a bush in the garden, arms and legs intertwining. My memory of what happened in that bush is blurred, but I remember the smooth texture of Renée's skin, her lips pressing close to mine (both mouth and skin), and the chill feel of the wind against our hot and exposed bodies.

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	4. Chilling with the Guys

_Okay, so I know it's been a while since there's been an update on here. What can I say? I'm just kinda lazy. Anyway. Enjoy!_

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The summer began with feeling - well not a whole lot like summer, what with this being Forks. I didn't even have Renee to keep me busy - she was off visiting family in Arizona.

Thus, the first few weeks of summer comprised mostly of me working, sitting around at home watching sports on television and occasional fishing trips with Billy and Harry down at La Push.

It was on one of these fishing trips that they cornered me.

"So Charlie," Billy began, in a tone filled with suggestion, "hows it..uh..going..with you and Renée?"

"Yeah, Charlie, how are the two of you?" Great, I thought, now Harry was joining in too. The implication in their words was clear.

"We're fine, thanks," I replied, "It's all going great. She's visiting her grandparents in Yuma at the moment."

They glanced at each other, eyebrows raised, before looking back at me.

"What we're asking, Charlie...," Billy began.

"I _know_ what you're asking guys. And you know what? It's none of your business." I tried to look innocent as I turned back to my rod. We hadn't had huge amounts of luck catching anything so far, and I was holding out hope for something for my mother to cook for dinner.

"He means no. He just doesn't want to tell us."

"Does he? I heard rumours that they went missing for quite some time at that Owen kid's party,"

"Oh really? Should we be revising our opinion of lil 'Charlie?"

Their mutterings, which they clearly thought were beyond my hearing, amused me. It really wasn't any of their business how far Renee and I had gone.

I chose that moment to turn the tables and start bugging Billy.

"So, what's the name of this week's girl then Billy?" It was an ongoing joke between Harry and I that Billy was with a different girl every week. He laughed,

"It's Sarah,"

"What? Still?" Harry joked, "but you guys must have been together..well a whole month!"

"Hey!" Billy retorted, "I think she could be right for me, y'know?"

Harry and I looked at each other in disbelief. The idea of Billy committing to anyone was alien to us. We all had our labels. I was the sweet romantic. Billy was the commitment-phobe. If we were both challenging our labels, then would Harry be revealing some new side of him that wasn't the joking, but dedicated boyfriend to Sue? He was quick to reassure us.

"Well, I'm still the same old Harry. Far too firmly set in my ways for any of that changing business, me"

We began to laugh, but were distracted by the sudden jerk of my rod's line - the first fish of the day.

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_Okay, so Billy's a bit of a player...why not? Haha. I wanted to give Charlie some time with the guys...so there it is :) I know it's a short update, but there'll be more soon, promise :) Reviews = love - never forget that! _


	5. Summer Days, Drifting Away

_Thanks for reading guys...here's chapter 5. _

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Renee's return to Forks was the true start of the summer for me. Long days spent in the shelter of trees, and when the weather was too bad, we stayed in, lounging on sofas and beds.

Over that summer, my favourite place to be became my sofa. The hours I spent there with Renee curled up against me were bliss. For those long weeks of summer, there was nowhere I would rather be. I rebelled even further against the idea that I was nothing but a sweet romantic, as hours stretched into days and nights together, and parents went away, trusting their children to be responsible.

As the summer drew to a close, and the woods turned from a lush green into a golden canopy of leaves, interspersed with evergreens, the ominous presence of oncoming responsibility began to weigh upon us. We had only a few more weeks until I started work at the Sheriff's office, and Renee went off to Washington State to study teaching.

She'd promised to get back every weekend, to come and see me, but I knew things would be...different.

The harsh reality of the uncertainty of the future was brought even more sharply into focus the week before I was due to start working.

My father's heart had been giving him trouble for some time, stopping him from doing any vigorous exercise, but when he collapsed whilst coming up the drive one night, we didn't imagine for one second how serious things really were.

He'd had a heart attack, but that wasn't the worst of it. He was diagnosed with a serious and highly developed case of coronary artery disease. It was too far gone for the doctors to operate. All we could do was make him as comfortable as possible and wait.

The waiting was the worst part. Knowing he was going to die, and that there was nothing I could do. I tried to keep my sprits up, and make him as cheerful as possible, but it was...difficult.

The day after we got the diagnosis was the day I had been due to start working. The sheriff had heard about my father (one of the "benefits" of living in a small town), and was more than happy to let me postpone my start date, but my parents insisted that I should start. They knew how much I had been looking forward to starting, and refused to let me sacrifice a moment of happiness in order to care for Dad.

Renee went off to college at Washington State the same day. Suddenly my whole world had changed, in barely the blink of an eye. She promised to come home every weekend, in order to see me, but I knew it wouldn't be long until the prospect of a three hour drive twice a week lost its appeal.

And, as I thought about how to keep Renee, a plan began to form in my mind.

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_Reviews = love, and make Charlie happy. I know it's a short chapter, but there'll be some more in a few days :) _


	6. Notsolazy Weekends

_Hello, all you lovely people who actually read this... Here's the next chapter. I tried to make it a little longer, but that doesn't always work out. _

_Ooh, can I give y'all a tip? Try reading it in white text on a dark background...the "dark" button up on the top right. I've converted to reading in it for all the fanfics I read...it's kinder on the eyes. _

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As soon as I started at the police station, I knew I'd chosen the right career. I got into the flow of the office immediately - even the filling out of mountains of paperwork, so complained about by other officers, didn't seem so bad to me.

I was determined to make sure Renee enjoyed her first weekend back home. Luckily the weather was on my side, and all the reports predicted a gorgeously sunny weekend.

I turned up at Renee's in my 2CV bright and early on Saturday morning, hoping to surprise her.

No such luck. The noise of my engine must have given me away. Almost as soon as I got out, the front door opened, and Renee came flying out towards me, arms outstretched.

I laughed as she leapt into my arms, but was swiftly forced to stop as my mouth became...otherwise engaged.

I disentangled myself with a smile.

"I come bearing coffee," I said, revealing a paper cup from Starbucks. Renee seized it, and kissed me again in thanks.

After drinking nearly half the cup in a single mouthful, she grew suspicious.

"Why are you over here so early?"

*Because we are spending the day together, and I have somewhere to take you."

A mystified look passed over Renee's face, but she went round to the passenger seat and strapped herself in.

"Well if we've got somewhere to go, then what are you waiting for? Come on, I'm excited now."

I smiled and got into the car. I was taking her for a picnic in the woods, in a spot I'd found a few weeks ago with Harry and Billy. A huge clearing filled with wild flowers, and an ancient tree dominating one end. I knew it was the perfect place for us.

We could only travel so far by road, and I eventually had to stop at the beginning of a trail into the woods.

I helped Renee out of the car, and she began to hop excitedly up the trail.

"We're not going that way," I said, grinning.

She turned round and raised her eyebrows.

"So then, where are we going?"

"This way."

I turned, and motioned for her to follow me into the trees. After a moment's hesitation, she too clambered into the undergrowth.

If we'd been walking solidly, it would have taken at least half an hour to reach the clearing. As it was we were somewhat...delayed. Well how is a guy supposed to react when he trips and falls backwards into his gorgeous girlfriend?

I'd persuaded Harry to take a picnic basket and blanket up to the field, so when we (eventually) reached the clearing, Renee gasped at the oh-so-cliché sight of the checked blanket strewn with flowers and food my mother had insisted taking time out of looking after Dad to help make.

The sun there was dazzling - it didn't feel like Forks...it was completely otherworldly. Yet even the sun paled in comparison to the beauty and delight on Renee's face.

"Charlie," she gasped, unable to take it all in, "this place is....magical."

"I know. And so are you."

She smiled at that, and dragged me down onto the blanket, before taking a cupcake off the top of a pile and beginning to feed it to me.

"You, Charlie, are the magical one."

At this, I couldn't help but smile. I loved her so much, it didn't seem real that she could feel the same.

The rest of the day we spent in the meadow, gradually working our way through the food (and squashing much of it at one point when Renee leaped on me and we fell backwards into the sandwiches).

I hated that the day had to come to an end, but as the first fingers of twilight crept into the sky, I knew we had to return. I didn't want Renee to be tired for tomorrow.

It was a perfect day. As I dropped her home, and she turned and smiled at the door, I realised that I wanted nothing more than to grow old with her, to spend the rest of my life with this beautiful girl.

Sunday morning Renee spent with her parents, no doubt enthusign about everything from her dorm room to her professors. I'd told her not to eat too much for lunch, as I was driving her up to Port Angeles for an early dinner before she had to go back to college.

We headed for a small restaurant close to the marina. The sky was turning pink as the sun began to set, and clouds drifted across the sky at a lazy that matched our own. Neither of us wanted to rush the evening - but then, neither of us knew how much the evening was going to change both our lives.

I still remember exactly what we ate that evening. I had a steak, complete with boiled potatoes. I added salt. Renee had a Club salad. She poured her dressing on with a smile and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, before picking up her fork and tucking in.

I could spend hours recalling her every movement in minute detail. I think some days are like that, they become so ingrained in your mind that no experience, no heartbreak can pull them away.

Almost exactly halfway through our meal in the midst of me telling Renee about the speeder we'd caught the previous week, she took my hand unexpectedly.

"Charlie, there's...there's something I need to tell you," she said, so quietly I almost forgot to stop speaking.

"Charlie, I...I'm pregnant."

I couldn't speak. And yet I knew the moment I'd been waiting for had arrived.

"Marry me."

The words almost took me by surprise. As for Renee...

"Charlie," she breathed, shaking her head, "please, please don't feel you have to do this."

I shook my head and pulled a small black box from my pocket.

"Marry me," I repeated. "Renee, I have never, never, loved anyone the way I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. And.." a lump grew in my throat, "I don't want to lose you."

I think words failed us both. Renee stood up and walked around the table, before sitting on my lap and kissing me passionately.

"Yes," she smiled and gazed at me, the smile stretching ever further across her face.

A thought suddenly occurred to me, and I voiced it straight away.

"When?"

"I think, that day, when it was sunny...We went in for drinks, but never made it back outside."

I remembered the day immediately, and smiled as the memory came back to me.

The day had been a rarity in Forks - sun, and sun so warm we were forced to head inside for drinks to cool us down.

Renee's parents had gone away - I forget where or why - and we had the house to ourselves.

As I recall it, I managed to drink maybe a quarter of my glass before the curve of her back, and the sun shining through her hair tempted me too much.

We'd left a trail of clothes up the stairs. I supposed it had been to spur of the moment for us to think about the consequences.

I was brought back to the present by Renee's laugh.

"How am I going to tell my parents about...all of this?"

"Run away with me."

I still don't know what made me ask her. I swept along by the romance. She was shocked too - but perfectly willing to go along.

"Tonight?" she asked, something close to a challenge in her voice, and eyes.

"Yes," I replied simply.

And so we left the meal, paid the bill and climbed into my car, heading South.

That night, it seemed like the beginning of a beautiful forever, together.

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_aww...and they live happily ever after...right? Oh wait, no. _

_I will love anyone who reviews forever. Any of you people who write (as I'm sure most of you do), know just how great it feels to get a review. _


	7. Viva Las Vegas

_I know it's short... I apologise. _

_I'm working on the next chapter at the moment, this is the last of the chapters I've got ready typed up._

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We spent the entire night driving South. I was vaguely aware of the fact that Renee was supposed to be back in Seattle on Monday morning, but she seemed unfazed, and remained her hyperactive self - at least for the first 12 hours, after which we pulled into a motel somewhere in Southern Oregon.

As soon as we re-awoke, we hit the road again, desperate to reach Vegas as soon as possible. It only took a few hours before we were driving into the neat rows of suburban houses that surrounded a city infamous for the proverbial sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. It was an amusing juxtaposition.

The concept of running away to get married in Vegas seemed so simple when we were in the Port Angeles restaurant. The bizarre reality was somewhat different. For a start - where were these instant wedding chapels? They were the kind of place you seemed to hear all about - but where in earth were they to be found?

One might imagine one could just pull over and ask a passer-by, but the way Vegas looks during the day is somewhat different to the glitz, glam and bright lights that immediately spring to mind when Las Vegas is imagined. Like a place where a party was held the night before, the Las Vegas of the "morning after" is not quite so flashy.

The streets are lined with old flyers, broken bottles and the occasional poker chip. Huddled piles of clothing mark the places where those who overindulged sleep off hangovers.

No, the Vegas of the morning after the night before does not offer the kind of surroundings that induce one to ask any random passer-by.

I gently awoke Renee, who was dozing in the passenger seat. Something told me she'd have fewer qualms about asking for directions. I was right. No sooner has I woken her, than we were on our way, following directions from a bored-looking woman sweeping the road.

It was mad how quickly this had all happened. I knew it was right - perfect, even, but I wasn't used to the spontaneity. I liked careful planning of every tiny detail. In this way (one way among many), I was the polar opposite of Renee. Lucky for me that opposites attract.

There is something rather sad about these 24 hour chapels. You sense that for all the happy marriages made here, there are at least twice as many that fail. I felt sure ours would be the former.

The ceremony went too quickly to think about. I was too swept up by emotion to recall very much, but it felt like the ceremony was over in a few minutes. A few words, a camera flash, and it was over, with the priest practically forcing us out of the door.

As soon as we were outside, I pulled Renee to me and kissed her to within an inch of her life. If there had been anyone else around, I'm sure we would have been asked to dissist. It was all I could do to stop myself from ripping her clothes off right there in the street.

With something of a lack of autonomy, we clambered back into my rusty Citroen, and made our way to another motel. I won't go into the details of the time that passed, as day blurred into night, which blurred once more into day.

An immeasurable amount of time passed, after which we lifted ourselves out of the haze we had entered into. It seemed...right to tell our parents the happy news, and as soon as possible - by telephone.

Renee took the payphone first, with a slightly panicked look - this would be the time to tell her parents the other happy news - and even carefree Renee was somewhat intimidated by the idea.

I let my mind wander as Renee chatted to her parents. It drifted back to her, my ears not focusing on the conversation, but my eyes trying to take in every inch of her beauty, the bow of her lips, the way the wispy bits of her hair just in front of her ears curled slightly...the slight thinning of her eyelashes as they reached the edge of her eyes.

Abruptly, it seemed, Renee finished her phone call, and with some relish, handed the phone to me. I dialled the number slowly, and raised it to my ear nervously. I knew my parents like Renee, but my mother would be so disappointed I;'d got married without her there with me.

Each ring of the telephone made my heart rise higher in my throat.

And then it hit voicemail. Which was strange. I was right in thinking it was Sunday, surely? My mother always did laundry on Sundays. So why wasn't she answering the phone?

Perplexed, I joined Renee in the car, as we began the long drive back to Forks.

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_Why isn't his mum answering? You'll have to add me to Story Alerts to find out! haha. _


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